So whats all the fuss about! Big deal... right?! reportedly its a $100 million dollar deal that U2 made with Apple to release their new album in over five years to over 500 million iTunes users. The deal which made history and saw it coincide with the release of the iPhone 6.
Poor ole' U2 have been the victims of so much back lash for giving consumers a gift. Yes! A gift! It seems these days that we don't even like to receive things for free. We are given a whole CD of one of the biggest bands in the entire universe and we don't want it. Ok, I admit U2 is not for everyone, and but it made me wonder why the mass hysteria...
I guess no one likes a pushy salesman. And in essence isn't that what U2 in conjunction with Apple were trying to do, they were forcing themselves into our beloved music library's and somehow arrogantly assuming that everyone in the entire universe loves U2. But in fact not everyone loves U2 and some of us don't even like them.
Given that album sales have been in decline and we are now living in a digital age, U2 were cleverly tapping into this department. It will be interesting to see what other artists will do in the future.
U2 is hoping that with gifting over 500 million iTunes users with 'songs of innocence' that they will be able to attract a younger fan base as young music fans like free music. And in turn the young like to go and see live shows, therefore sell more tickets for more live shows. It's a win win for U2.
But that gift still outraged hundreds and thousands of users. Apple pushed the release to users' libraries instead of making it available for free in the iTunes store till October 13 which is when the album is officially launched to all other platforms. Therefore we were outraged. We're probably all too suspicious that the iCloud somehow has so much power that it can magically dump 11 songs onto our phones, that it gets us thinking, what else can Apple do to our iPhone's? Given that just recently the iCloud was compromised with hackers accessing celebrities photos, this suspicion is warranted. Bono has now even admitted that it was meant "to stir things up and annoy people".
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It certainly annoyed people and even piping in on the hysteria surrounding the nonsense of the free giveaway was one hit wonder Sinead O'Connor. She stated "it's an embarrassment if someone finds my phone and they think I've bought a U2 album" is she serious!!! She went even further stating "I didn't like it suddenly invading my telephone like a terrorist" ummm ok now I'M Offended! It's a reprehensible statement coming from the shaved 'nothing compares to you' singer when terrorism is the subject of so much news every single day!
So in essence yes we sure have the right to be annoyed at this invasion of our privacy perse' and I am sure Apple has learnt from the hysteria they created when gifting iTunes users with U2's album. In future, Apple should just make it available for free in the iTunes library and IF we want to download it for free, then we will! Nonetheless, I challenge you to listen to these wonderful new songs from U2. Its sitting in your library so lets have a listen... my personal favourites are 'Song for Someone' and 'Iris' (hold me close).
But if your REALLY against having this album on your iTunes do not fear Apple have launched an apology with the 'delete U2' button off your iPhones. Click here to delete it.
What do you think about all the fuss? warranted? or not?
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